Slow going: Few voters cast ballots on first early voting day

Published: Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 05:53 PM.

So Thursday Lewis, of Burlington, joined 48 others from Alamance County who cast ballots on the first day of one-stop early voting at the
County
Board
of Elections office.

Lewis said she always votes each election cycle during early voting, believing it her civic duty. Lewis also said it was important for her, as a woman, to vote since it wasn’t until June 1920 when the 19th Amendment was ratified giving women the right to vote.

“It took too long for women to get to vote,” she said. “I am going to vote.”

Not many followed her lead, though, as voting began for non-partisan municipal races across the county. Through 10 a.m., there were 12 voters who had cast their ballots. By mid-afternoon, 32 people had participated in the early voting process. During the first day of early voting, 49 total voters cast their ballots. The early voting period ends on Nov. 2.

So Thursday Lewis, of Burlington, joined 48 others from Alamance County who cast ballots on the first day of one-stop early voting at the CountyBoard of Elections office.

Lewis said she always votes each election cycle during early voting, believing it her civic duty. Lewis also said it was important for her, as a woman, to vote since it wasn’t until June 1920 when the 19th Amendment was ratified giving women the right to vote.

“It took too long for women to get to vote,” she said. “I am going to vote.”

Not many followed her lead, though, as voting began for non-partisan municipal races across the county. Through 10 a.m., there were 12 voters who had cast their ballots. By mid-afternoon, 32 people had participated in the early voting process. During the first day of early voting, 49 total voters cast their ballots. The early voting period ends on Nov. 2.

Election Day is Nov. 5.

Kenneth Fernandez, ElonUniversity assistant professor and director of the Elon University Poll with the Department of Political Science and Policy Studies, said Thursday that voter turnout is traditionally lower in non-presidential election years.

Fernandez doesn’t expect the current election cycle to be any different. Fernandez also said a recent study showed that early voting doesn’t typically increase voter turnout as a whole.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see voter turnout as low as 8 percent in some counties during the early voting process, Fernandez said.

Charles Brumbaugh, ElonUniversity professor of political science, said voter turnout will likely be low because there are few contested races.

“Where are the challengers?” Brumbaugh said. “I guess people are satisfied. It’s disappointing not to have more contested races.”

Voters are not required to show photo identification this year. That requirement doesn’t become effective until 2016.

Municipal elections will be held in Burlington, Elon, Gibsonville, Graham, Green Level, Haw River, Mebane, Ossipee, Swepsonville, and the Village of Alamance.

Early voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday at 115 S. Maple St. in Graham. One-stop absentee early voting will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Oct. 21 through 25 and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Oct. 28 through Nov. 1 at the same location.

Early voting for the municipal elections will again be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 2 at the Board of Elections office.

For more information regarding the election date and times, contact the Alamance County Board of Elections office at 336-570-6755 or visit alamance-nc.com/d/elections.html.